Ports: Infrastructure
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of UK port infrastructure for rapid deployment, military logistics and wider defence resilience.
Answered by Luke Pollard
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with Government partners and with the civil maritime industry to ensure it has a detailed understanding of the capabilities, capacities and resilience of UK ports to support military activity.
The MOD has increased its capability to rapidly deploy a military force through an agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP). This partnership provides access to 21 APB port facilities across the UK. The Department maintains a close relationship with other commercial operators as well as relevant industry associations. The MOD routinely tests and exercises its plans to utilise civilian ports to build resilience into military operations. Recent exercises have seen the outload of military personnel and equipment using the Channel Tunnel rail link as well as the Port of Immingham and Port of Tyne.
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